Communication system

Abstract

A communication system is presented in which a base station operates a each of a plurality of cells using a respective component carrier. When the base station decides to configure a mobile telephone to use additional cells of the plurality of cells, a access control procedure is initiated to determine for each cell whether the configuration should be allowed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A base station, comprising:
 a memory storing instructions; and 
 one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to:
 broadcast system information; 
 receive, from a user equipment (UE) connected to the base station, a measurement report which includes a Closed Subscriber Group Identity (CSG ID), wherein the CSG ID included in the measurement report is the CSG ID of a candidate cell to be added as a secondary cell that provides communications connectivity for said UE at the same time that communications connectivity is provided for said UE by a primary cell of the base station; 
 transmit, as part of a procedure for adding the candidate cell as the secondary cell, to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a request to verify a CSG membership status of the UE, for the CSG ID included in the measurement report, wherein the request includes the CSG ID of the candidate cell to be added as the secondary cell, that provides communications connectivity for said UE at the same time that communications connectivity is provided for said UE by the primary cell of the base station, reported by the UE; and 
 receive, as part of the procedure for adding the candidate cell as the secondary cell, from the MME, a response which includes a CSG membership status information element providing a result of CSG membership verification performed at the MME. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A communications method in a base station, the communications method comprising:
 broadcasting system information; 
 receiving, from a user equipment (UE) connected to the base station, a measurement report which includes a Closed Subscriber Group Identity (CSG ID), wherein the CSG ID included in the measurement report is the CSG ID for a candidate cell to be added as a secondary cell that provides communications connectivity for said UE at the same time that communications connectivity is provided for said UE by a primary cell of the base station; 
 transmitting, as part of a procedure for adding the candidate cell as the secondary cell, to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a request to verify CSG membership, wherein the request includes the CSG ID of the candidate cell to be added as the secondary cell, that provides communications connectivity for said UE at the same time that communications connectivity is provided for said UE by the primary cell of the base station, reported by the UE; and 
 receiving, as part of the procedure for adding the candidate cell as the secondary cell from the MME, a response which includes a CSG membership status information element providing a result of CSG membership verification performed at the MME. 
 
     
     
       3. A user equipment (UE), comprising:
 a memory storing instructions; and 
 one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to: 
 communicate with a base station to which the UE is connected; read system information which is broadcast in a candidate cell to be added as a secondary cell, the system information comprising a Closed Subscriber Group Identity (CSG ID), wherein the CSG ID included in a measurement report is the CSG ID of the candidate cell to be added as a secondary cell that provides communication connectivity for said UE at the same time that communications connectivity is provided for said UE by a primary cell of the base station; and 
 transmit, to the first-base station, a measurement report which includes the CSG ID, included in the measurement report, of the candidate cell to be added as the secondary cell that provides communications connectivity for said UE at the same time that communications connectivity is provided for said UE by the primary cell of the first base station; 
 wherein the CSG ID the candidate cell to be added as of the secondary cell is transmitted, by the base station, as part of a procedure for adding the candidate cell as the secondary cell, to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), in a request to verify CSG membership; and 
 wherein a CSG membership status information element providing a result of CSG membership verification performed at the MME is received at the base station, from the MME, as part of the procedure for adding the candidate cell as the secondary cell, in response to the request. 
 
     
     
       4. A communications method in a user equipment (UE), the
 communications method comprising: 
 communicating with a base station to which the UE is connected; 
 reading system information which is broadcast in a candidate cell to be added as a secondary cell that provides communications connectivity for said UE at the same time that communications connectivity is provided for said UE by a primary cell of the base station, the system information comprising a Closed Subscriber Group Identity (CSG ID), wherein the CSG ID included in a measurement report is the CSG ID of the candidate cell to be added as the secondary cell that provides communications connectivity for said UE at the same time that communications connectivity is provided for said UE by the primary cell of the base station; and 
 transmitting, to the base station, a measurement report which includes information the CSG ID of the candidate cell to be added as the secondary cell that provides communications connectivity for said UE at the same time that communications connectivity is provided for said UE by the primary cell of the base station, 
 wherein the CSG ID of the candidate cell to be added as the secondary cell is transmitted, by the base station as part of a procedure for adding the candidate cell as the secondary cell, to a Mobility Management Entity (MME), in a request to verify CSG membership; and 
 wherein a CSG membership status information element providing a result of CSG membership verification performed at the MME is received at the base station, from the MME, as part of the procedure for adding the candidate cell as the secondary cell, in response to the request.